Ballroom Dance Position - its like being Quartered

From the internet: The statutory punishment for treason in England from 1283 to 1867, D&Q was a multimedia form of execution. First the prisoner was Drawn to the place of execution on a hurdle, a type of sledge. Then he was hanged. Cut down while still alive, he was disembowelled and his entrails burned before his eyes. Finally the condemned was beheaded and his body cut into Quarters, one arm or leg to a quarter. How exactly the Quartering was to be accomplished wasn't always specified, but on at least some occasions horses were hitched to each of the victim's limbs and spurred in four directions. An assistant with a sword or cleaver was sometimes assigned to make a starter cut and ease the strain on the animals.

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Today, while practicing my dance drills at home, I was concentrating on posture more than ever, not just foot work. Indeed, its very difficult to focus on posture when you are practicing alone. You look like enough of a moron hobbling around the floor trying to duplicate a dance routine with finesse and correct footwork without adding agonizing body positions. Indeed, adding proper posture, head position stretching up from the torso, extended arms, soft knees, tummy tucked in.......hey, its just very hard to put this all together when you are as old and broken as me.  But I try anyway.

So I attempted a decent look with my body and arms positioned to attain proper dance position, stretching my head higher and higher, tucking my tummy in and in and then extending my elbows as far as my arms would allow. In agony, I suddenly conjured a picture in my mind of being quartered. Obviously, its not the same, because the condemned man above has to go through the experience only once......we should be so lucky!!!!

Now, I realize the pose accompanying this blog is really not assigned to prove my point. The picture was taken after Jana and I completed our day's competition events; I was relaxed and happy. But what I mean is the unrelenting pose you have to lock in while dancing, leading your partner or in my case, being back led by your dance teacher. This must be locked and immovable. There is no level of stretch that is enough!  Anything other than a maximum effort looks pathetic, enough to identify you to the audience as the pathetic hunched over old man that you are. But i continue to try.  

OK, I admit that as soon as this quartering analogy came to mind, i suddenly ran for the door. I had my excuse to release my stretching pose, abandon my practice session and escape to the solace of my computer where I am writing this blog. I am sitting down, comfortably situated in my ergonomic computer chair, staring at the screen while my finger dance over the keyboard.  

I have little else to say. I guess its time to face the music and get back down to business.  Nice try David, get your ass off of the chair and prepare yourself for more torture!